Second Time Right
by Rose6
Summary: the proposal..........again


Title: Second Time Right  
  
Author: Rose; rosenfairy@yahoo.com  
  
Feedback: Please do send. If I don't get feedback I get these irrational complexes, worry that everybody hated it and I end up driving all my friends insane, so for their sake, please.  
  
Authors Note: This uses part of `Marooned' (the wedding dress ep). It is simply something that I, being a hopeless romantic, would have liked to see happen at the end. Yes, it is a B&L fanfic, so if you don't like them as a couple you will get no joy out of this fic, and thus you probably shouldn't read it.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters used in this story do not belong to me, they belong to DEK and ABC. I have merely borrowed them for a short while, I will return them unharmed these people at the end of the story. So please don't sue me.  
  
Helen stormed toward the offices of DYD&F, inwardly fuming at Bobby's stupidity. She had sat up half the night trying to convince Lindsay that by morning he would have the sense to see his mistake and come to make amends. However when he didn't show she decided to take matters into her own hands, after all if she didn't intervene now his foolish pride would cost him the best thing that ever happened to him. Reaching the door, she pushed it open violently and began striding towards Bobby's office.  
  
"Bobby in?" she asked as she passed Lucy's desk, not even slowing down to hear the answer.  
  
"In his office, I'll tell him you're here" Lucy answered, but realized there was no point as Helen was already opening Bobby's door.  
  
Entering the office and she saw the defense attorney huddled over his work desperately trying to focus on some file before him. Overcome with anger she slammed the door behind her with such force that it reverberated throughout the room shaking the adjoining windows. Hearing the noise Bobby looked up hopefully, despite the obvious anger in the noise, he was still hoping beyond hope that it would be Lindsay. She had seemed so final last night, when she told him it was over, that he not been able to face going to see her, it would only remind him of what it was he had so foolishly thrown away.  
  
"Helen" he exclaimed, a look of trepidation and fear replacing his previously hopeful expression, as he prepared himself for the inevitable grilling that was to follow.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Helen asked Bobby staring at him expectantly.  
  
"Who said it was your business?" Bobby replied trying to cover the hurt in his voice,  
  
"My friend, my business. What are you going to do?" Bobby looks down sadly and then raises his head again and looked at Helen his face and eyes bearing the look of a defeated man.  
  
"Helen, she left me, there's nothing I can do" he answered flatly.  
  
"Listen to me" Helen ordered, leaning on his desk "When you and I were dating, I got this sense that you had it all figured out, how life would be. How it should be, and when you found somebody who would fit nicely into your little life plan, you'd get married. Now, I knew I would never be the one to fill that slot..."  
  
Bobby got up from behind his desk, and made as if to leave  
  
"Thank you Helen, I'm not interested in...." Helen quickly stood in front of him, grabbing his wrists  
  
"Bobby" she yelled, "would you listen to me! I might not have another chance to interfere. Lindsay isn't going to slide into any slot either. And your life might not fit her any better than your mother's dress. But if you love her...."  
  
"Helen" Bobby warned "if you don't let go of me....."  
  
"Bobby, do you want to spend the rest of your life alone?" shouted Helen, trying one last time to get Bobby to listen to her, "As much as I love her, she's not the one I'm worried about. She's the greatest woman I know. She'll find somebody, probably better than you." Helen dropped his wrists and looked at him pointedly.  
  
"Thank you" says Bobby.  
  
Helen continued "But you're not going to find somebody better than her. I know it and you know it."  
  
Bobby began to look as if what Helen was saying had sunk in, he may have thought it was over but he cannot give up without a fight, seeing this Helen continued "Let her be your partner, Bobby. Not just because its what she wants. Because its what you need."  
  
Helen watched Bobby as he returned to his desk and sat down, hiding his face in his hands. She knew know that what she had said had sunk in, as she turned to leave Bobby spoke once more, his voice full of remorse and sorrow.  
  
"Help me?"  
  
"What"  
  
"Help me make it up to her"  
  
"All you have to do is apologize, tell her how stupid you are, you know that she'll forgive you. I have no idea why but she will"  
  
"No" he stated, "That's not good enough"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She said she hated the way I proposed"  
  
"She didn't hate the way you proposed, and she definitely didn't hate that you proposed. She just didn't like that it took for her to nearly die, just for you to realize how much you loved her, and needed her."  
  
"That's why this time it has to be perfect, I have to make it...perfect. I need you to help me."  
  
Helen couldn't help but smile, the notion was so sweet, and the hurt on his face was almost enough to make her cry. How could she not help him, besides it was for Lindsay, after all?  
  
"Ok, so any ideas where, and music, atmosphere, it has to be so......romantic......" Helen was standing there peeling off a list of essentials and slowly getting that same dreamy, romantic glazed look that Bobby had last seen during the original proposal.  
  
"I was thinking here," Bobby added in tentatively.  
  
"Here?" Helen replied incredulously.  
  
"Well", Bobby began to explain, "Its just almost every major milestone in our relationship happened here. Our first kiss, our first time was on this very couch, the first time we broke up was right here, our one last time- that couch, and the Christmas party and the kiss that started all this was right here."  
  
"Brilliant" Helen stated smiling, she, with Bobby's help, was gonna make this the best proposal ever.  
  
Across town, Lindsay was sitting sadly on the edge of their bed, her wedding dress laid across her lap and her face stained with tears. She had only wanted him to see that he was hurting her, she wanted him to let her in, to share his life with her, but instead she had e with her, but instead she had y at Helen's, hoping he would call, or come to her, but he hadn't so she left and came back to the apartment they shared, only to find that everywhere she turned she was reminded of what she had lost. She had dreamed of wearing the dress, of looking and feeling like a princess, as she walked down the aisle past her family and friends and towards Bobby, knowing that the next time she walked past these same people she would be Mrs. Robert Donnell. But now that was all gone, if Bobby had wanted to make amends, if he had wanted her back he would have come, or called and told her he loved her. He knew those words would make her melt into his embrace and listen as he told her that  
everything would be alright But he hadn't so she knew it was over, everything she had wanted since she had first joined the firm was gone. Standing up she held the beautiful fabric of the wedding dress before her and twirled once in front of the mirror. Then she hung the dress back in its bag and returned it to its place in the cupboard, locking it away from sight and hopefully mind. She walked back and sat on the bed once more, looking reflectively around the room they shared, then over come by tears she lay down and began to sob, letting forth all the pain and despair she felt at her decision and its heartbreaking consequences.  
  
**************************************************************************************  
  
"Helen!" Bobby called forcefully, again, trying to unsuccessfully to get her to focus on reality. He was by now beginning to regret having asked her for help at all. She was taking the whole thing a little too far out of hand, considering that some of her more realistic ideas so far had been erecting a giant billboard outside his office window, filling the entire practice with flowers and writing the proposal in lights, and the worst- him singing.  
  
"I've got it!" Helen called out, abruptly stopping her pacing in front of him.  
  
"Got what Helen?" he asked the exasperation in his voice clearly obvious.  
  
"The perfect proposal..... We should re-enact the Christmas party. I'll bring her here, take her to your office, you propose, she says yes. It'll be great, just like last Christmas only better....." she is by now off on yet another tangent and Bobby can only sit in amused silence and watch as she uses dramatic arm motions and face contortions to help demonstrate her point.  
  
As soon as she broke for a breath he took his chance. "Helen" He called softly.  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"But...... you said it had to be romantic and perfect, and that is roman..."  
  
"Helen, NO!" he interrupted, more firmly this time, although he did have one thing to thank Helen for, she had just given him a great idea. Of course he wouldn't tell her that.  
  
"Fine Bobby, what is your great plan" she asked, secretly believing that it could not possibly be as good as hers. She really did want to do the Christmas party idea.  
  
"Well..." Bobby began, quickly filling her in on his entire plan and the role that she would play in it, which much to his liking was very small. Helen had begun listening with a patronizing attitude, daring him to try and outdo her idea, but by the time he had finished saying his idea, her hand had involuntarily moved too her face and her eyes were glistening with tears.  
  
"Oh Bobby that's.........that is soo beautiful, she's gonna love it" she cried as she stepped around the desk, capturing his head and shoulders in an awkward hug and mumbling incoherently through her tears. Then she stepped back and asked, "So where will I be during this, probably at the back of the room, you know not too prominent. Wouldn't want to get in the way"  
  
Sure you wouldn't, Bobby thought bitterly, before replying  
  
"You won't"  
  
I won't what"  
  
"Be here"  
  
"But..."  
  
"You got to see it last time Helen, I even let you help plan this one. You have to let me do the proposing bit alone" he stated firmly.  
  
"Ok" she muttered resignedly  
  
"Good, now can you go and see her, Don't let on. Just make sure she is doing ok"  
  
"Sure" she replied, a secret smile forming on her lips as she walked toward the door wiping her tears and composing herself before leaving.  
  
"Lindsay" Helen called as she walked through the living room of Bobby and Lindsay's apartment. She called her place not long after leaving the office and when she did not receive an answer she had come here.  
  
She walked up to the bedroom door and looked inside. Lindsay lay there, curled up in the fetal position on their bed, asleep. Her face was tear streaked and it broke Helen's heart to see her like this. Her mind became a swirling mass of mixed emotions as she grappled with the situation at hand. She wished that she could make it better, that she could take away the pain and the hurt that she was feeling and make things right, the worst thing was she knew she could. She knew that all she would have to do would be tell Lindsay of the mornings events, and of what Bobby had planned and all this suffering would be gone. But she wouldn't she had promised Bobby that she would not tell, that she would allow him to surprise her, to give her the proposal she had always dreamed of. And yet she wondered if Bobby was to see his beloved fiancée like this would he be able to keep it from her? She doubted it, just standing here looking at her and seeing the hurt that plagued her face even in  
sleep was almost enough to send Helen running to tell her. But she couldn't so instead she stood and watched her, her own pain building as she watched her friend's heartbroken expression. She looked once again at her friends sleeping form, and then around the room, to her right she saw the cupboard door slightly ajar and she knew what Lindsay had come here to do. She had come to see the dress, to imagine all that she now believed to be lost, and when she had it had been all to much and she'd collapsed, crying herself to sleep.  
  
"Lindsay" she called again, this time walking up and sitting beside her, smoothing her hair as she did. Lindsay began to stir; she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Helen.  
  
"Helen" she greeted her, her voice was tinged with tears and her eyes full of emotion and hurt. "How did you get in here?"  
  
"Spare Key, I knew you'd be here." She stated, brushing her hand across Lindsay's cheek as she tried so hard not to let slip her little secret. Lindsay sat up a little and looked behind Helen to the door. She knew that the first thing Helen would have done that morning was go and see Bobby, at times she hated this nosey side to Helen but this time she had hoped so much that it would work and that Helen would bring a remorseful Bobby back with her. She once again looked up at Helen; her tear filled eyes asking the question that she did not have the strength to verbalize. Helen shook her head ever so slightly and that one tiny movement brought a new wave of tears to Lindsay's eyes. As she began to cry, Helen reached for her and held her close, feeling each body-shaking sob as if it were her own. She felt like crying herself at that moment just thinking of how she could fix this, how she could make it all better. But then she thought back to the plan that Bobby had outlined for  
her, and instead of crying her lips once again formed  
  
into that small secretive smile.  
  
Helen walked into the apartment, and immediately began calling for Ellenor. When Ellenor did not answer she began to worry; the whole plan now hinged on her being able to convince Ellenor to take part. Bobby had promised her he would send everyone home early and they had both thought Ellenor would come straight back to the apartment, but so far she hadn't and Helen was beginning to panic, how could she let them down. Granted she had no idea what she was supposed to do and was probably completely unaware of what had actually happened between Bobby and Lindsay. But how could she let her down, why choose tonight of all nights to get a life, Helen paced restlessly up and down in front of the couch. She had no idea, what she was going to do; Helen stopped her pacing mid stride as she heard a key turn in the lock.  
  
"Helen, are you there?" called Ellenor, "I dropped by the market on the way home, Bobby kicked us out early for some reason. So I thought I would cook dinner, how does..." She was abruptly cut off by Helen screaming out,  
  
"ElU,UYX£X\ as she ran across the room and flung herself at her incredibly stunned and scared roommate.  
  
"Helen?" she questioned, "What just happened?"  
  
"You have to ring Lindsay"  
  
"Why"  
  
"You have to ring her and ask her to meet you at the office. Tell her you have some bizarre constitutional argument to make and you need her help. Get her to meet you at the office at 8:00."  
  
"Why? What is happening, I am not going to the office and I don't have a case." She asked, by now completely confused by the whole thing. "Helen, tell me what is going on."  
  
"No time, just make the call. You don't have to go to the office, she just needs to think you need her help so she goes to the office. I'll explain later, just make the call."  
  
"Fine, whatever" Ellenor said her confusion mounting, walking to the couch she picked up the cordless and dialed Lindsay's number.  
  
"Oh and Ellenor, no matter what she has to go, sound desperate if you have to."  
  
Ellenor just glared at Helen and waited for the phone to pick up, when it did she was shocked by the strain and emotion in Lindsay's voice, add that to the foul mood that Bobby had been in all day and it was easy to work out they had fought. It was also easy to see that Helen was being her usual nosey self and playing matchmaker. Lindsay was usually such a strong person, so for her to sound like this Ellenor knew it had to be bad.  
  
"Hi, Lindsay. Umm I didn't see you at work today, but I was thinking if you aren't sick or anything, could you come and help me? See I have this bizarre case that I am working on, and I think I can get it thrown. But I need you to have a look and tell me if you think it is worth it to argue the constitution or just take a plea."  
  
Lindsay hesitated briefly, as though composing herself before speaking again, "Can it wait Ellenor, I'm sorry but I don't really feel up to it." She knew that her voice had given her away and there was no need to act strong. "I was about to come over to Helen's though I could take a look there".  
  
"But I can't leave the office, I'm waiting for a... fax" she stuttered, pulling at straws trying to work out how to convince Lindsay to go. Luckily Lindsay did not notice her momentary pause so she went on, "Please Lindsay, I know I am asking a lot but I need help. This thing is in court tomorrow, and I really don't know what to do".  
  
On the other end of the line Lindsay went silent, then she sighed into the phone and Ellenor knew she had won her over.  
  
"Great, so I will see you here at say... eight" she asked  
  
"Ok" Lindsay replied. Ellenor nodded to Helen and then said her good-byes, Helen had to almost bite her lip to from cheering and alerting Lindsay to their ruse. Ellenor hung up the phone and flopped onto the couch. The stared pointedly at Helen and asked  
  
"What the hell was that all about?"  
  
Helen looked at her watch, and then proceeded to the couch to tell Ellenor the whole detailed story, she had time, there was still a good 45 minutes before she was due at the office.  
  
Helen stood impatiently in the stairwell of the building that housed the offices of DYD&F, it was almost eight o'clock and Lindsay had not yet showed. Helen was worried, maybe she had decided not to come, or she had been involved in an accident, it was just not like Lindsay to be late. This would throw the whole plan off; their beautiful plan, ok Bobby's beautiful plan, but she had helped. Just as she was starting to panic for the second time that night, she saw her walking through the front doors and heading for the elevator. She had obviously paid a lot of attention to how she looked tonight, most likely in a vain attempt to stop Ellenor from seeing how upset and hurt she really was, but it was easy to see through that little charade. She lacked the any spring or joy in her step and face seemed frozen in a sad, resigned state, the face of someone who had acccepted something but could not yet think of it without paining. Despite her friends unhappy state of mind Helen could  
not help but smile, she knew what waited at the top of that elevator and she also knew the joy that it was going to bring Lindsay. She watched as Lindsay stopped before the elevator doors and leant against them, they soon pinged open and she stepped in. Helen waited till the doors of the lift closed completely before she stepped out into the hall and used her mobile phone to send Bobby a signal that would warn him that she was on her way up. That done she put her  
  
phone away and just stood there a smug look plastered to her face.  
  
Lindsay walked apprehensively down the hall towards the office, this was the last place she wanted to be right now. She had so far avoided coming back here, partly because Bobby was here and partly because of all the memories it held, she didn't know that she was ready to confront those yet. But now she had to come, Ellenor had sounded so desperate on the phone she couldn't refuse to help her, even if it meant coming here. She stopped before the door and looked in through the glass, the office was completely dark and it appeared empty, That's odd, she thought looking at her watch, it was only ten minutes past eight, surely Ellenor wouldn't have given up on her already and left. Grabbing her keys out of her bag she went to unlock the door, pausing briefly as she remembered what had happened the last time she was here alone at night. Pushing that thought to the back of her she quickly regained her composure and opened the door, hurriedly closing it and walking to her desk to  
turn on a lamp. She presumed Ellenor had merely left to get dinner or had gone home to get something she had forgotten. She decided to wait for a while and then if she did not show leave for Helen and Ellenor's, where she planned to spend the night.  
  
Lindsay could have sworn she could hear music, coming from somewhere nearby, but that was impossible, all the surrounding offices were empty by this time of night. Her brow creased slightly as she listened intently to the soft hum of music, which was by now very real and growing louder. She smiled wistfully to herself as she realized what it was, here in the middle of the night, when Christmas was long since past someone was playing carols. The smile fell from her face however as she realized exactly what Christmas carol it was, and remembered exactly where she knew it from. The song was `I wish every day could be like Christmas' and at that moment she really did, because the last time she had heard that song had been right here, in Bobby's office. It was at the Christmas party, that night he had told her he loved her, the very night they had shared their first kiss as a couple; it had been the song playing during the very moment when every wonderful experience that she now  
grieved the loss of had started. Looking towards Bobby's office she noticed for the first time the shadows that were flickering gently against the closed blinds. She looked intently at the office, trying in vain to work out what could be giving off such a strange flickering pattern of light and shadow. By now she had forgotten about her meeting with Ellenor and was only concerned about what the lights were and where the soft music of the carol was coming from, with growing curiosity she began to head towards Bobby's door. Reaching it, she placed one hand on the handle and went to open it, in that moment she realized something else, it was from Bobby's office that the music, that the carol that symbolized their first moment as a couple and every wonderful event of the past year, was emanating.  
  
Her aroused curiosity forced her to somewhat nervously open the door and peek inside, and when she did all she could do was gasp loudly and as her hand flew involuntarily to her heart. The office before her was set up so beautifully and thoughtfully, that she was on the verge of tears just looking at it. Every flat surface of the office had been covered with flowers and candles, and not just any flowers. The room was filled with Arem Lilies and white roses, the very flowers that only the day before she had planned to have in her bouquet at her wedding. Lindsay was stunned into shocked silence as she tried to comprehend what he had done for her. A simple apology would have been fine, but this, this was the most wonderful romantic thing anyone had ever done for her, all of her anger and pain towards him had disappeared the moment she opened the door. Hearing a noise beside her she turned suddenly and came face to face with Bobby, all dressed up in a black suit, and looking  
incredibly relieved at what her reaction to the scene before had been but also incredibly nervous. She went to move towards him, to hold him and thank him and tell him how sorry she was for ever doubting him, but he moved from her reach before she was able to. She stopped, completely confused as to what was happening.  
  
"Bobb...." She started to ask him what was going on, but he held up a finger to silence her and then moved in, taking both of her hands in his and staring at her, feeling slightly uncomfortable and still confused she looked down, away from his intent gaze.  
  
"Lindsay" He began, "I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you, or to shut you out....... I guess I didn't realize I was doing it. I didn't want you to get hurt." Lindsay looked up at him confused as to why she would get hurt, her gaze returning once again to the floor as he continued.  
  
" Everyone I have ever loved, ever let in, has gotten hurt, or been taken from me. I couldn't stand to have that happen to you. It happened before, I let you in and I almost lost you, I didn't want to do that to you again. But one thing that your stabbing, and this fight has shown me more than anything else, is that I can't live without you, I don't want to live without you. I'm sorry, I tried not to hurt you and I ended up hurting you anyway. I will let you in, I will."  
  
Lindsay had been staring down at the floor during the entire speech, afraid that if she looked at him she would burst into tears and show him how weak and emotional she really was. But now with tear-streaked face she looked up at him and saw the pain and fear in his own tear-filled eyes, seeing this she released her hand from his grip and gently wiped away his tears, allowing her hand to come to rest on his cheek.  
  
"You're not going to lose me Bobby" She answered passionately, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly to her. He in turn wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as if he were afraid she would change her mind at any moment. After a few minutes, he pulled back and took her face in his hands. staring at her for a second, before voicing the question he had been waiting to ask all night.  
  
"So what do you say Lindsay Dole, Marry me?"  
  
Lindsay broke into a huge smile before answering, not with words, but with a kiss that left Bobby in no doubt as to what her answer was. As the kiss began to escalate, Lindsay thought of one more thing she had to get into the open, so she broke away and when he looked at her questioningly, she told him firmly.  
  
"I won't wear that dress, Bobby" He simply smiled and nodded agreement before pulling her back to him and continuing make up for the time he had lost and the pain he had caused.  
  
During all this neither of them noticed the small space that had been created between one of the sets of closed blinds. Nor did they notice the solitary figure that stood outside the glass windows, one hand covering her heart as she cried hysterically and muttered something containing the word beautiful, as she peeked through the hole that she had purposely created in the blinds only hours before. After all, she thought, he didn't want me at the first proposal either and I was there, I sure as hell wasn't missing this one. 


End file.
